Reinforced tank structure



March 13, 1962 E. F, SCHMITZ 3,024,942

REINFORCED TANK STRUCTURE Q EWALD F SCHMITZ @www M Ovfforneqs March 13, 1962 E. F. SCHMITZ 3,024,942

REINFORCED TANK STRUCTURE Filed May 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Z4 26' fn n fi Fx www ffl/2x! E :5| u

24 @Z4 d I "726 I l l I l I I I INVENTOR. EWALD F SUHMITZ March 13, 1962 E. F. SCHMITZ REINFORCED TANK STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 14, 1958 INVENTOR. EWALD E SCHMITZ BY @MMM M vforneys United States Patent zlifi? Patented Mar. 13, i952 free 3,024,942 RElNFURCED TANK STRUQTURE Ewald F. Schmitz, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Filed May 14, 1958, Ser. No. 735,175 3 Claims. (Cl. 228-71) This invention relates to storage tanks and more particularly to fermenting tanks for use in the brewing industry. The invention is an improvement of the reinforced tank structure described in the United States Pattent to Schmitz, 2,675,940.

The invention provides an improved method for structurally reinforcing a thin-walled storage tank. More particularly, the improvement resides in the use of end and top panels which are contoured in a manner which eliminates the need for reinforcing ribs or the like in those areas. The side and bottom panels of the tank are flat in nature and are provided with the aligned external reinforcing ribs substantially of the type described in Patent 2,675,940.

This construction enables the thin-walled tank to withstand both the weight of liquid contained in the tank and the internal gas pressure generated by the liquid while holding the requirement for external reinforcing members to a minimum.

ln addition, by reason of such construction, fabrication of the tank is facilitated and labor is held to a minimum.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

in the drawing:

FIGURE l is a side elevation `of a storage tank embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of a portion of the tank with parts broken away;

IFiG. 3 is an end elevation of the tank;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower end portion of the container;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lower end portion of the container shown in FIG. 3 with parts broken away; and

FiG. 6 is a transverse section through the side wall of the tank and showing the rib construction.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG- URES l-3, the storage tank 1 is mounted on a base comprised of a plurality of I-beams 2 which rest on adjustable supports 3 for purposes of drainage.

The tank includes a rectangular bottom panel l and a pair of rectangular side panels 5 joined by a generally curved top panel 6. The ends of the tank are closed by a pair of end panels 7.

The tank is preferably constructed `of a corrosion resistant material, such as stainless steel, and due to the construction of the tank a minimum thickness of such material is required to withstand the pressure of the contained lluid and the internal gas pressure generated thereby.

For economy and convenience in fabrication and assembly, each side panel is comprised of a plurality of sections 3 which are joined by a weld along the vertical seams 9. The assembled side panels are welded to bottom panel 4 and top panel 6 by longitudinal welds 10 and 11, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5', the bottom panel 4 is curved upwardly along the longitudinal edge thereof to form a rounded corner portion 12 extending substantially the length of the assembled tank, The top and bottom panels are each comprised `of half sections, welded together along the seams 13 and 14 respectively.

The top panel 6 is provided with a contour corresponding to a longitudinal half-section of a cylinder. Not only does such a contour provide increased resistance to outward deformation of the top panel due -to internal gas pressures generated yby the contained liquid but also by reason of such contour, the resultant hoop stress on the top panel is directed tangentially to the side panels and thus has no transverse component of force on the side panels. The need for stitfeners or ribs encompassing the top of the tank to provide reinforcement for the top and side panels of the tank is thus eliminated thereby making possible a saving of considerable material and labor in the fabrication of the tank.

The end panels 7 of the tank are welded to the tank with each end panel being comprised of' a plurality of sections which are individually and sequentially assembled to the tank. The upper section 15 of each end panel 7 is a half-section of a flanged and dished head and is welded to either end of top panel 6 along the seam 16.

With end section 15 in place, a dat rectangular sheet of metal 17 is initially formed to the contour of the bottom edge of section 15 and welded to each side panel 5 along the seam 1S, and to the lower edge of section 15 along seam 19.

The bottom section 2i) of the end panel 7 consisting of an arcuate metal sheet having an upwardly turned outer edge is then welded to the curved lower edge of sheet 17 and to the edge of bottom panel 4 along the seams 21 and 2.2 respectively. The upwardly turned edge of section 2li terminates rearwardly of the edge of bottom panel i and each resultant opening in the four corners of the tank is closed yby a cap plate 23 having contoured edge portions to conform to the respective adjoining edges of section 20. metal sheet 17 and bottom panel 4 to which the edges of the cap plate 23 are welded as best shown in FIG. 4.

The end panels 7 are designed for convenient and economical manufacture as the several sections of each panel may be formed by relatively simple and conventional type means. l1Furthermore the end panels by reason of their contour provide the desired reinforcement for the tank without the need for reinforcing ribs or the like.

Side panels 5 and bottom panel Il are reinforced by the spaced, flanged and channel-shaped reinforcing ribs 24, with the ribs of each side panel being aligned with and secured to the corresponding ribs on the bottom panel such that the connected ribs form a rigid supporting brace for the lower half of the tank. The ribs are provided with beveled ends 2S with the ends of the ribs disposed on bottom panel 4 and the lower ends Of the ribs on side panel 5 extending diagonally outwardly from the flanges 26 and with the upper ends of the latter ribs extending diagonally inwardly from anges in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

Ribs 2li are preferably constructed of the same alloy as the tank panels and the flanges 26 or ribs 24 are secured by spot welds 27 to the corresponding panels of the tank. The ribs may be reinforced by a thin plate 28 welded to the web of the ribs on the inside. v

The aligned ribs 24 on the bottom and side panels are joined by the corner members 29. In general, each corner member 29 is channel-shaped having a web 36 and a pair of side pieces 31 extending outwardly from the web. The side pieces widen or diverge in their extent from web Si), and the ends 32 of the side pieces are concave to conform substantially to the contoured or rounded edge 12 of the tank to which they are welded when installed.

Side pieces 31 of corner members 29 over-lap and are welded to the diagonally extending ends 25 or ribs 24, and the web 30 or corner member 29 is similarly secured 3s to the terminal edge 33 of the corresponding rib 24. The corner members 29 thus provide a strong, integral joint etween the ribs 24 and are securely attached to the tank proper.

To reinforce each corner member 29, a strip 34 is welded flatwise to the inside of web 30. Additional strips 35 are edge-welded to the side pieces 31 and to web 3i) of the corner member 29.

To provide further reinforcement at the juncture of the ribs 24 and the corner members Z9, plates 36 are edge- Welded to the inside of each rib at its terminal end along the web and sides thereof. The reinforced corner members 2% and the plates 36 thus provide maximum reinforcement at the bottom of the tank as the pressure exerted by the contained fluid is at a maximum in that area.

Similar plates 36 are welded to the inside of the vertical ribs at their upper end to close the ends of the ribs.

Reinforcement in the form of a curved plate 37, connected to ribs 24 by a plurality of cross plates 3S, is provided on bottom section Ztl of each end panel.

A manway 39 having a hinged cover 40 is provided in end panel 7 to provide access to the inside of the tank. The tank is further provided with a suitable drain connection il which is secured to the bottom panel of the tank. Other necessary piping connections, not shown, are also provided.

In the assembly of the tank, the ribs 24 are initially welded in spaced relation to each of the individual sections of the panels 4 and 5. The panels are then assembled in the manner and sequence previously outlined. Corner members 29, which are suf'llciently flexible to correct for minor errors in alignment of the ribs, are then placed in position between the respective adjoining ends of the ribs and welded to the ribs and to the tank.

The invention provides a thin walled storage tank which holds the requirement of the alloy material and labor input to a minimum and yet will withstand considerable pressure 1n service.

The invention further provides a storage tank having curved corner portions in all instances thus facilitating cleaning of the tank and reducing maintenance costs.

Various methods of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the various claims distinctly claiming and particularly pointing out the subject-matter regarded as the invention:

l claim:

l. A thin walled container or the like, comprising substantially flat rectangular side walls and a substantially flat rectangular bottom wall having its longitudinal edges curved upwardly and welded to the adjoining edges of said side walls to form a rounded edge extending the length of the container, a top wall having a semi-circular transverse cross-sectional area welded to the adjoining edges of said side walls, end walls welded to the respective adjoining edges of said top, side and bottom walls to provide a closed container with each of said end walls being comprised of a semi-circular upper panel having an outwardly dished contour, a generally curved lower panel, and a generally flat bottom panel having an arcuate, upwardly curved outer edge, a plurality of rib members disposed on the external surface of said side wall and similar rib members disposed on said bottom wall in alignment with said first mentioned rib members, the ends of each of said members being beveled and spaced from the beveled end of the corresponding aligned rib member, edge pieces attached between the ends of aligned rib members, said edge pieces being provided with an outer web portion and side walls extending inwardly from said web and having an inner end shaped to conform to the rounded edge of said container, and welds joining the edges of each of the side walls and the web of said edge pieces to the adjoining edges of said rib members and joining the inner end of each of the side walls of said edge pieces to the container to provide a plurality of ini tegral rib members extending around the lower portion of the tank, said end and top walls being free of said rib members.

2. A thin-walled container or the like, comprising rectangular side panels and a rectangular bottom panel having its longitudinal edges curved upwardly and welded to the adjoining edges of said side panels to form a rounded corner portion extending the length of the container, a top panel having a semi-circular transverse crosssectional area welded to the adjoining edges of said side panels, end panels welded to the respective adjoining edges of said top, ide and bottom panels to provide a closed container with each of said end panels being comprised of a semi-circular upper section having a generally convex shape, a curved lower section, and a substantially flat bottom section having an arcuate, upwardly curved outer edge, a plurality of rib members disposed on the external surface of said side panels and similar rib members dis posed on said bottom panel in alignment with said first mentioned rib members, the ends of each of said members being beveled and spaced from the beveled end of the corresponding aligned rib member, edge pieces attached between a pair of aligned rib members, said edge pieces being provided with an outer web portion and side walls extending inwardly from said web and having an inner end shaped to conform to the rounded corner portion of said container, welds joining the edges of each of the side Walls and the web of said edge pieces to the adjoining edges of said rib members and joining the inner end of each of the side walls of said edge pieces to the container to provide a plurality of integral rib members extending around the lower portion of the tank, said top and end panels being free of said rib members, a curved plate welded in edge-wise relation to the bottom section of each end panel, and a plurality of transversely spaced plates disposed in edge-wise relation to the bottom section of each end panel and extending between and welded to said first mentioned plate and the outer rib members on said bottom panels.

3. A thin-walled container or the like, comprising side panels and a bottom panel welded together along their adjoining edges, a top panel having a semi-circular transverse cross-sectional area welded to the adjoining edges of said side panels, end panels secured to the respective adjoining edges of said top, side and bottom panels to provide a closed container, with each of said end panels being comprised of a semi-circular upper section having an outwardly curved surface contour, a lower generally curved section, and an arcuate shaped bottom section having an upwardly curved outer edge, a plurality of flanged channel-shaped rib members disposed on the external surfaces of said side panels and a plurality of similar members disposed on said bottom panel in alignment with the first-mentioned rib members, with the ends of said rib members being spaced from the corresponding lower ends of said first-mentioned rib members, the spaced ends of said first and second mentioned rib members being provided with an outer web portion extending forwardly of the flanges of said ribs and connected to said flanges by diagonally extending sides to form a beveled end on each of said spaced rib ends, and with the upper ends of said first-mentioned rib members being provided with an outer web portion terminating rearwardly of the flanges of said ribs and connected thereto by diagonally extending sides to form a beveled end, reinforcing plates edge welded to the inside of each of the beveled ends of said rib members, corner pieces disposed between each pair of spaced rib ends with said corner piece being provided with a web and divergent, inwardly extending side pieces, and welds securing the web and side pieces of said corner piece to the corresponding beveled ends of said rib members and securing the ends of the side pieces of said corner pieces to the container to provide continuous rib members extending around the lower portion of the container, said top and end panels being free of said rib members.

References Cited in the le of this patent 6 Harry Feb. 7, 1911 Bradley Oct. 26, 1937 Hassan May 30, 1939 Schmitz Aug. 2, 1949 Proebstle May 12, 1953 Schmitz Apr. 20, 1954 

